Episodes

  • Trump directive could cause severe understaffing for LI school bus drivers

    Trump directive could cause severe understaffing for LI school bus drivers
    Mar 6 2026
    Long Island’s school bus industry, already suffering from a driver shortage, will lose hundreds more drivers because of a Trump administration directive preventing immigrants with temporary residency from obtaining, or renewing, commercial driver’s licenses, officials said. Alfonso A. Castillo and Darwin Yanes report in NEWSDAY that the recent announcement by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles that its commercial driver’s license program for temporary residents is "indefinitely paused, including renewals," could have a cascading impact across Long Island. Bus companies said it will put decades-long bus drivers out of work and, in a worst-case scenario, push school districts to delay bell times so that buses could serve multiple schools with a depleted roster of operators."It’s tough right now. It’s just going to get a little tougher," said Thomas Smith, chief operating officer of Suffolk Transportation Services, the county’s largest school bus provider, which stands to lose about 150 of its 1,600 drivers because of the licensing change. "It’s sad. These are great people doing great work for the community."The DMV’s move came in response to changes made late last year by the federal government barring most immigrants with temporary visas from obtaining commercial driver’s licenses, even while in the United States legally.The change followed a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit saying that New York, and other large cities led by Democrats, were regularly renewing immigrant drivers' commercial licenses even after their temporary statuses expired. Federal officials ordered New York to immediately revoke every license illegally issued to "foreign drivers" and discontinue its immigrant CDL program, or they'd lose federal highway funding.DMV officials said every applicant's legal status is verified and that they followed federal regulations, but have suggested they have no choice but to comply with the federal order.The Trump administration has sought to target so-called "non-domiciled" CDL programs following a series of high-profile truck crashes involving immigrant drivers. President Donald Trump brought up the issue at his recent State of the Union address, calling on Congress to bar "any state from granting commercial licenses to illegal aliens."Leaders of Nassau and Suffolk superintendent organizations said they are closely monitoring the situation but stressed that student safety and transportation are top priorities for districts.***Attorneys for pop star Justin Timberlake secured a temporary restraining order yesterday to block the release of police body camera footage of the actor-musician's 2024 drunken driving arrest, court records show. Robert Brodsky reports in NEWSDAY that the order by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Joseph Farneti gives the Village of Sag Harbor until April 9 to submit documentation detailing why it should be permitted to release footage from the former *NSYNC frontman's traffic stop and arrest on June 18, 2024, as part of a Freedom of Information Law request by members of the media.In the interim, the village cannot release the footage without a court order, Farneti said.On Monday Timberlake, citing privacy concerns, filed suit against the Village of Sag Harbor, its police department and police Chief Robert Drake seeking a court order to block the footage's expected release.Release of this footage, according to Timberlake attorney Michael Del Piano, "would cause severe and irreparable harm to petitioner's personal and professional reputation, subject petitioner to public ridicule and harassment, and serve no legitimate public interest in understanding the operations of government. Disclosure of this footage would constitute an unwarranted invasion of petitioner’s personal privacy."Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Jed Painter, general counsel to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, weighed in on the dispute, asking Farneti to uphold a 2024 protective order issued in Sag Harbor Village Justice Court that prevented the public release of any footage from Timberlake's arrest.“Our interest is limited to the important institutional and public policy considerations implicated by the potential erosion of judicial protective orders,” Painter said. “We take no position on the privacy interests asserted by the petitioner. Rather, we focus upon the order underlying the criminal case that is presently before the court, and which has never been rescinded.”The eight hours of footage, attorneys said, contain the initial traffic stop, the officer's questioning of Timberlake, field sobriety tests and the pop star's subsequent arrest.On Sept. 13, 2024, Sag Harbor Village Justice Carl Irace sentenced Timberlake to 25 hours of community service for the nonprofit of his choice and ordered him to pay a $500 fine, along with a $260 surcharge. Irace also ordered him to issue a public safety announcement.***Graduating high school students who live in the ...
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    10 mins
  • Major traffic on South Fork caused by fatal crash on County Rd 39

    Major traffic on South Fork caused by fatal crash on County Rd 39
    Mar 5 2026
    County Road 39 was closed in both directions between Shrubland Road and Tuckahoe Road in Southampton yesterday afternoon and evening for about 4 hours due to a fatal multiple-vehicle accident that occurred shortly before 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, just as the afternoon rush hour was beginning.As reported on 27east.com, Southampton Town Police said that the accident was caused when the delivery truck driver who was killed in the collision strayed from the eastbound lane of travel and sideswiped three westbound vehicles before striking a fourth vehicle head-on.Three people from the other vehicles involved were taken to Stony Brook Southampton by ambulances from the Southampton Volunteer Ambulance for treatment of minor injuries.The accident left debris and construction equipment strewn across the roadway, police said, and required a detailed investigation to determine the sequence of the incident.The Southampton Fire Department’s heavy rescue unit was called in to extricate the body of the deceased driver from the vehicle. The body has been turned over to the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s office for examination.Southampton Town Police have identified the man killed in yesterday’s crash as Anasser Almontaser, age 33, of Staten Island. They had previously said that he was driving a 2014 GMC commercial van and was heading east into Southampton when the crash occurred.Conty Road 39 was reopened at about 7:30 last night but the lagging traffic backups were still leading to long lines of traffic in much of downtown Southampton Village as late as 9 p.m.***A Southampton flight instructor crash-landed a small plane that experienced engine trouble into the Hudson River in total darkness on Monday night near New Windsor in upstate New York — a feat that other experienced pilots said was a masterful display of flying skill. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that New York State Police say that two people were aboard the plane when it crashed: the pilot, Liam D’arcy, 31, and a 17-year-old flight student whom they did not identify.FAA records indicate that the plane, a single-engined 1978 Cessna 172, is owned by American Airman Inc., which operates a flight school based at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma.D’Arcy is also a lifeguard who worked for many years at Gurney’s Montauk Resort.The plane had taken off from MacArthur shortly before 7 p.m. Monday and flown north to New York Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, where it landed briefly and then took off again, according to the flight tracking app Flight Aware.After heading southeast again back toward Long Island for a short period the plane did an about-face and headed back toward Stewart Airport.State Police said the pilot reported experiencing engine trouble.A local pilot who is familiar with the incident said that the engine lost oil pressure and started to stall. The plane was only at an altitude of 2,500 feet and the pilot realized the plane was not going to be able to glide back to the airport and deliberately turned back out over the river where it would be safer to make a crash-landing.“This is where he displayed amazing aeronautical decision-making — he knew continuing toward the airport was a bad idea because it was too far away … and between him and the airport was just residential homes and dense forested hills,” said Kathryn Slye, a veteran pilot from East Hampton who knows D’arcy from East Hampton Airport.“He was talking to Stewart tower [air traffic control] who did an excellent job giving him all the right information and coordinating how best to rescue him — including reminding him of the Newburgh Bridge, which Liam saw and turned back away from.”Another pilot who said he knows D’Arcy from flying out of East Hampton Airport in recent years said that he’d found him to be knowledgeable and professional around aircraft.“He always struck me as a good, responsible pilot and a great instructor. He is just generally a smart guy,” the pilot, who asked not to be named, said. “You can tell from this he remained calm under difficult circumstances. That had to be scary, just incredibly stressful, to say the least, but it seems he kept his cool. I’m glad they both came out of it okay.”***The East End Food Hub, at the site of the former Homeside Florist on the busy corner of Route 25 and Route 105 in Riverhead, is reopening its doors to the public this weekend for a pop-up fair connecting residents with farmers that offer Community Supported Agriculture subscriptions. The fair begins a series of upcoming public events at the site, including the return of the East End Food Market on March 21.Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the CSA Fair this coming Saturday, March 7, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the intersection of Route 25 and Route 105 in Riverhead. It’s a chance for “families to meet local farmers offering up shares of seasonal produce, chat with local farmers and find the ...
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    10 mins
  • Bridgehampton residents push back against proposed horse farm

    Bridgehampton residents push back against proposed horse farm
    Mar 4 2026
    Residents of Bridgehampton last week assailed a proposal before the Southampton Town Planning Board to create a new horse farm with more than 70,000 square feet of structures, including three four-bedroom houses, on a swath of open land that Southampton Town bought the development rights to more than two decades ago. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that neighbors said that the developer’s representatives are misrepresenting the allowances of covenants placed on the Lumber Lane property when it was made an agricultural reserve area in 2001; are stretching the legal definitions that allow horse farms to be considered agricultural uses; and are being disingenuous about the scope of the project’s impacts on the land to avoid a more in-depth environmental assessment.But the developer’s attorney said that the 2002 preservation deal allowed for the property to be used for equestrian purposes, which carries with it the implicit right to build related equestrian structures and, by extension through NYS agriculture law, housing for agriculture employees.The property is expected to employ as many as 15 people, attorney Wayne Bruyn told members of the Southampton Town Planning Board at a public hearing on the application last Thursday, nodding to the housing shortage for low- and middle-income workers in the region.The project’s would-be developer is Gabi Morris, the equestrian enthusiast daughter of a New Jersey housing developer, who has an agreement to purchase the land from the current owner, Steven Klein.The opposition to the project is being led by a new citizens group formed by neighbors of the Klein property, the Bridgehampton Conservation Alliance, which itself has lined up a team of attorneys to attack the legal details of the proposal.Members of the Bridgehampton Civic Association, a residents’ group, urged the Planning Board to stand up for the spirit of the preservation agreements and not let the threat of legal fights sway them.The Southampton Town Planning Board said it would hold the public hearing open for another opportunity for residents to speak on the application before proceeding with its technical review.***A former Sag Harbor PTA official accused of stealing more than $10,000 from the organization was charged with third-degree grand larceny on Tuesday, Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said. Michael O'Keeffe reports in NEWSDAY that Hope Livingston, 50, surrendered to the district attorney’s office yesterday and pleaded not guilty at an arraignment before Riverhead Town Justice Sean M. Walter later Tuesday.D.A. Tierney said in a statement, "The allegations in this case represent an egregious betrayal of the trust the residents of Sag Harbor placed in this defendant, and my office will continue to hold accountable those individuals who unlawfully enrich themselves at the public’s expense."Justice Walter ordered Livingston released without bail. Under New York State law, prosecutors cannot ask a judge to set bail for third-degree grand larceny, Tierney said.Livingston was represented at the arraignment by the Legal Aid Society.Livingston served as the co-treasurer of the Sag Harbor Elementary School PTA from July 2021 to June 2022, Tierney said. She served as vice president from July 2022 through June 2024. She had access at that time to a debit card for the PTA’s bank account, which she was only to use for PTA-related purchases.When the PTA bank account was turned over to new board members in September 2024, officials learned Livingston had used PTA funds for personal expenses, including purchases from Costco, Amazon, Target, Lululemon and Sag Harbor businesses, according to the statement. The D.A.’s office said Livingston also withdrew, and stole, cash.The investigation was conducted by the district attorney’s Public Corruption Squad with assistance from Deputy Sheriff Sergeant Matthew Matz.***In celebration of Women’s History Month, the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island & North Fork invites LWV members, prospective members and interested residents of the Shelter Island and North Fork communities to a program titled “LWV: History, Mission and Future” this Thursday…that’s tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m. at Peconic Landing in Greenport.Held in the Peconic Landing auditorium, at 1500 Brecknock Road in Greenport, tomorrow’s event offers an opportunity to explore the rich, over 100-year legacy of the League and discover how to become an active participant in democracy.As a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, the League welcomes people with diverse perspectives and ideas to attend, for an evening of education and civic engagement, complemented by light refreshments.“LWV: History, Mission and Future” is tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m. at Peconic Landing in Greenport.For information about the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island & North Fork, visit its website at lwvhsinf.org ***The village of Sag Harbor, N.Y., said yesterday ...
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    10 mins
  • Justin Timberlake files suit against Village of Sag Harbor

    Justin Timberlake files suit against Village of Sag Harbor
    Mar 3 2026
    Officer patrols, police dogs, drones and a helicopter are being deployed as security precautions in Nassau County to avoid potential local retaliation over the United States' and Israel's ongoing bombing of Iran. Matthew Chayes and Maureen Mullarkey report in NEWSDAY that local measures are focused on houses of worship, popular gathering spots, and places of mass gatherings, particularly last night at Jewish institutions celebrating the holiday of Purim, as well as at mosques and Islamic schools, according to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who spoke at a news conference yesterday about the county's security efforts."People sometimes lash out in different ways that's not anticipated," Blakeman said. "Whether it's Christian, Muslim or Jewish, Sikh, whatever, we will be out doing stops at all of those institutions to make sure that we have a presence and that we keep them informed."As is typical when an international conflict could reverberate locally, authorities across Long Island, New York City and beyond said they have stepped-up security to deter, detect, and combat terrorism and other violence.There are no known credible local threats, officials have said.Michael Martino, a spokesperson for Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, cited a statement over the weekend from Romaine and the county’s police force that patrols were being stepped up at government buildings, "critical infrastructure" and religious institutions.In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the NYPD and other agencies were "taking proactive steps, including increasing coordination across agencies and enhancing patrols of sensitive locations out of an abundance of caution."Stepping up patrols and putting into place other counterterrorism measures involves hundreds and potentially thousands of police officers, according to John Miller, the police department's former deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism who as a journalist once interviewed Osama bin Laden. Miller noted that there are finite resources, and ordinary policing doesn't stop."That also means there’s a city of eight and a half million people that still needs policing. People will still call 911, there will still be emergencies, there will still be nonemergencies where people expect a response," he said. "And that’s the kind of thing where, when you start to scrape the bottom of your personnel numbers you just have to account with overtime."***A single-engine plane that took off from Long Island MacArthur Airport last night with two people on board later crashed in the Hudson River north of upstate New Windsor, according to a spokesperson for the Town of Islip. The pilot of the Cessna 172 and a passenger survived the crash with injuries not considered life-threatening, said Caroline Smith, the town spokesperson, in an email to Newsday. Islip Town owns MacArthur Airport.Zoe Hussain reports in THE NY POST that data from Flightradar24 showed that the privately owned plane left from Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma around 6:55 p.m. Monday and crashed into the major waterway about an hour later. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the safe rescue of the two people “another miracle on the Hudson,” in a post on X last night. “Thank God both the pilot and passenger of a single-engine plane that performed an ice landing near Newburgh have been located with only minor injuries,” she wrote. New York Rep. Pat Ryan also posted on X that his office has been closely monitoring reports of the crash. “I’m in touch with officials on the ground, who have shared that both passengers are safely out of the water & have been evacuated by EMS,” he said.New York State Police from Troop F, headquartered in upstate Middletown, responded to the crash. Trooper Jennifer Alvarez told NEWSDAY, "We are still investigating, and more information will be released as it becomes available."***The Greenport Civic Association celebrates its first anniversary with its First Annual Membership Meeting this evening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 768 Main Street, Greenport. Guest speakers will be Southold Town Board member Alexa Suess and Southold Town Trustee Liz Gillooly, both of whom are Greenport residents. Greenport School Superintendent Beth Doyle will also join the conversation.“The Greenport Civic Association connects residents to discuss and address pressing local issues. Our initiatives emphasize inclusivity, education and advocacy.”Tonight’s Greenport Civic Association forum starts at 6 p.m. in the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 768 Main Street, Greenport, N.Y. 11944Further info available online here.***Interview rooms with handcuff bars, holding cells and weapon storage areas are among the extensive renovations proposed to turn Internal Revenue Service office space in Holtsville into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing and detention center, according to architectural drawings submitted to the Town of ...
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    10 mins
  • Archaeology at Sylvester Manor reshaping understanding of slavery

    Archaeology at Sylvester Manor reshaping understanding of slavery
    Mar 2 2026
    When Long Island school officials learned they would not have to make up for missing class last Monday — after a historic blizzard dropped about 2 feet of snow on the region — some breathed a sigh of relief. Lorena Mongelli reports in NEWSDAY that it meant meticulously planned school calendars could remain intact. Even districts that had depleted their limited snow days would not need to scramble to meet the state's required 180 days of instruction — which could result in a loss of state aid if they fell short. It was "a welcomed decision because safety of our students and staff is paramount first, and no district wants to be in a position of making a decision about instructional days and the potential of losing state aid,” said Bob Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association. This winter's severe weather — which has included two major snowstorms in as many months — highlights the challenges educators face as they develop their school calendars for the year. School administrators must balance contractual obligations, an increasing number of religious and cultural holidays and constraints imposed by the state. Some districts have responded by limiting the number of snow days built into their calendars. With recent winters being on the milder side, this has not been an issue. But this year's snowstorms have forced some school officials on Long Island to choose between canceling classes now and taking back vacation days later in the year, or offering virtual learning, which has had mixed reactions from parents.School districts in New York State must have 180 instructional days in their calendar every year. Educators said the year cannot extend past the last Regents exam at the end of June and often does not begin prior to Sept. 1, because state aid does not kick in until then.Some districts have added new holidays to their calendars in recent years, including Diwali, Eid al-Adha and Lunar New Year, which was designated an official public school holiday in 2023. “Some people think a school calendar is an easy thing to navigate but between mandated holidays, traditional breaks, it gets very difficult,” Vecchio said.***A State Supreme Court justice has dismissed all but one of Calverton Aviation & Technology’s claims in its lawsuit against the Town of Riverhead, the Riverhead Community Development Agency and the Riverhead Industrial Development Agency over the planned sale of 1,643 acres at the Calverton Enterprise Park. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that in a 19-page decision and order filed late Friday afternoon, Justice David Reilly granted the town’s motion to dismiss 16 of the 17 causes of action in CAT’s complaint. But the judge let one claim proceed: CAT’s claim against the town for tortious interference with contractual relations.On Saturday, Supervisor Jerry Halpin said, “This is a WIN for the Riverhead taxpayers. The 1,643-acre EPCAL property belongs to the taxpayers and is literally our most valuable real estate asset. I look forward to exploring all ideas — big and small — and hearing from taxpayers about what they think would be the best fit for the future of EPCAL. I also want to thank our Town Attorney’s office, who under the leadership of Erik Howard, successfully navigated the Town through this case,” he said.Friday’s decision came 15 months after attorneys for both the town and CAT argued the town’s motion to dismiss before Justice Reilly on Nov. 21, 2024 and more than two years after CAT first filed its complaint.***The 2026 “I BIRD NY” challenge began yesterday. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s annual “I BIRD NY Challenge” asks birders of all ages and experience levels to identify 10 wild bird species anywhere in New York State.As posted on Riverheadlocal.com, the 2026 challenge runs from March 1 through Nov. 1, with entries due to DEC by Nov. 18. Participants who complete the challenge receive a commemorative patch and a completion certificate and are entered into a prize drawing, DEC said. Two youth and two adult winners will be selected, with an extra prize entry available for those who submit a photo documenting their challenge experience.To complete the challenge, participants identify any 10 wild bird species and submit a challenge sheet to DEC. The agency said more than 1,600 birders completed the challenge in 2025.Challenge sheets can be submitted online via SurveyMonkey or sent by email or mail, according to DEC. Entry forms are available in several languages un addition to English, including Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French and Urdu. The program as a low-cost or no-cost way to get outside and connect with nature, the DEC said. Many birds can be identified without specialized gear, though binoculars can help, the agency said. New York’s range of habitats supports more than 450 bird species throughout the year.For people looking for places to go,...
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    10 mins
  • Vigils for Justice to be held tonight at 6pm

    Vigils for Justice to be held tonight at 6pm
    Feb 27 2026
    School districts across New York State and Long Island could see some relief in the state budget as legislative leaders discuss ways to help schools that are struggling to make the transition to emission-free buses by a 2035 deadline. Keshia Clukey reports in NEWSDAY that State lawmakers in 2022 passed a law requiring new buses sold in the state to be zero-emission by 2027 and all buses on the road to be zero-emission by 2035 in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to fight climate change. Zero-emission buses can include battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses. Much has since changed since then, with rising costs from federal tariffs, delays to some of the state’s clean energy projects by the Trump Administration and cuts to federal aid promised under the Biden Administration that would have helped pay for buses and charging stations."We have to deal in the reality," Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, told Newsday. "We’re flexible because we understand the world has changed with this administration." "We’re talking about how to manage this, yes," Hochul said, when asked if help for districts would be discussed as she and state legislative leaders negotiate the state’s $260 billion budget. The budget is due by April 1, the start of the state’s fiscal year.The discussion comes after Hochul last year delayed a state mandate requiring new buildings to be "all-electric." She is now reportedly eyeing changes to the state’s climate law, citing the need for affordability.And all 213 legislative seats and the governor’s seat are up for election in November, increasing political pressure to deliver for constituents. Lawmakers could also opt to do nothing on controversial items, saving them for a nonelection year.School leaders and education advocates say funding would help with the cost of buses and charging infrastructure. But for some districts, money won’t fix the problem as they face a slew of different challenges including concerns over battery life on long routes and power grid capacity. Education leaders and advocates say lawmakers should push back the 2035 deadline or rethink the mandate."We’re not at a point right now where that’s realistic or possible for way too many districts," Brian Fessler, chief advocacy officer for the New York State School Boards Association said. "Districts are hoping something is going to be done because they can’t move forward."Environmental advocates say the state should stay the course."We really need to move forward on this policy to make sure that kids and bus drivers and communities are safe and healthy getting to school," Liz Moran, New York policy advocate for Earthjustice, told Newsday. Exposure to toxic diesel bus fumes can lead to a host of health problems including childhood asthma, she said.***Riverhead Town officials are sounding the alarm about an email phishing scam targeting local residents. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that scammers are emailing residents who’ve had some interaction with the town planning or zoning board, bogusly copying official Riverhead Town correspondence, and advising recipients that they must wire funds to the sender to cover fees associated with their application. The fake documents bear the Town of Riverhead’s official seal and are accompanied by an email message that purports to be from a town official. Scammers appear to be targeting individuals who have pending applications before the planning or zoning board, perhaps scraping information that appears on board agendas and application documents posted on the town’s website, officials said. At least one individual received an email message purporting to be from Zoning Board of Appeals Chairperson Otto Wittmeier, with attachments including an invoice for $4,000 and an “itemized breakdown of application approval fee,” detailing the services for which the fees are being charged. The Town of Riverhead does not use wire transfers to collect fees of any kind from applicants, Riverhead Senior Planner Matt Charters said during a Town Board works session discussion yesterday. “We’re never going to ask you for a wire transfer for anything like that,” Charters said. “If you get a suspicious email for a planning department application, always call [the planning department],” Charters said. The department’s number is 631-727-3200 ext. 240, he said. Always carefully check sender's email address: townofriverheadny.gov is the town's only legit email.Similar scams are also being reported in the Town of Southold. ***A Southampton resident and ironworker attended the 2026 State of the Union address on Tuesday night as a personal guest of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York. Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that Aleshandra Fernandes is a member of the Local 361 ironworkers' union, which represents ironworks from New York City to Montauk. She has worked on the South Fork Wind project led by Ørsted, where she spent weeks at sea ...
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    10 mins
  • Recent blizzard makes history as one of top 3 biggest snowstorms to hit the East End

    Recent blizzard makes history as one of top 3 biggest snowstorms to hit the East End
    Feb 26 2026
    The Blizzard of '26 which buried the South Fork under as much as 30 inches of snow in some places appears to be firmly in the top three biggest snowstorms to hit the East End since official record keeping began in 1963, the National Weather Service said.Snow plows and excavators were still hard at work on Wednesday morning, some 72 hours after the first flurries started falling on Sunday to get side streets, parking lots and sidewalks cleared of snow, and many residents still have only the smallest peeks out of their driveways and drifted-in yards.Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the snowfall overnight Sunday and through most of the morning on Monday — and whipped by hurricane-force wind gusts — rivaled the January 2015 nor’easter that left 33 inches in parts of the South Fork.The highest snowfall amount reported to the NWS on Monday was 28.1 inches in Montauk, shortly after noon, when light snow was still falling.“There were areas of southern Connecticut that recorded 30 inches of snow, so it’s safe to say you could have had that much out there in the Hamptons also,” NWS meteorologist Dave Stark said from the agency’s regional headquarters at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, Long Island.For residents digging out from the white onslaught this week, the faint differences in the record books were inconsequential.“It’s the most I have ever seen in my lifetime,” said Mike O’Connell, while getting groceries on Tuesday in Bridgehampton. “My back is never going to be the same.”And there’s still some east end digging to be done including right here in Southampton Village where the superintendent of public works, Steve Phillips, said that crews have worked to get the downtown business district cleared of the snow piles that block parking spots and are laboring to get packed icy spots cleared to the blacktop in the face of a shortage of road salt. Walking across some Southampton Village sidewalks is perilous, too.7:06am - 7:07:30amSuffolk County Police have arrested a Riverhead man in connection with the death of his mother, whose body was found earlier this month in a wooded area in Manorville, police said.Curtis Trent Jr., 36, of 61 Forge Road, Riverhead, was arrested yesterday and charged with second-degree murder in the killing of Kathleen Harrison Trent, according to a Suffolk County Police Department press release.Kathleen Harrison Trent, 63, of the same address, had been reported missing to Riverhead Town Police on Jan. 29, police said. Her body was discovered Feb. 11 at about 3:21 p.m. in a wooded area on Connecticut Avenue, south of River Road, in Manorville, police said. Seventh Precinct patrol units searching the area found the body, according to the release.Police previously said detectives believed the death was criminal in nature. The cause of death remains under investigation, police said.Trent Jr. was arraigned Wednesday at Riverhead Town Justice Court, police said.Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives ask anyone with information about the case to call 631-852-6392 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted through the P3 Tips app or at www.P3Tips.com.***Seatuck’s Long Island Natural History Conference, which each year brings together naturalists to discuss all the work they’re doing to understand the natural world here, will be held tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 27 at Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that among the discussions this year relevant to the East End are right whale stewardship, wetland protection and identification programs, tracking tiger salamanders and horseshoe crabs, building screech owl boxes and wildlife passages.The Long Island Natural History Conference is the largest regional forum for the exchange of information about Long Island’s natural history. The annual event brings together Long Island’s leading naturalists to exchange current information, identifies research and management needs, and encourages collaborations and a greater region-wide interest in Long Island’s natural history.The Conference was established by the Long Island Nature Organization (LINO) in 2012 to support education and research about the natural history of Long Island. The conference resulted from the vision and dedication of Mike Bottini, Tim Green, John Turner and the late James Monaco.***Community members gathered Tuesday night at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Riverhead for a solemn service marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The war that was triggered by the invasion grinds on. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that for Ukrainian-American parishioners of the Riverhead church, the war brutalizing their ancestral land is very personal. Some who worship there are refugees of the war. Many have family members living there who are directly affected by the war. Among them ...
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    10 mins
  • Some LI towns forced to use reserve funds to deal with snow and cold

    Some LI towns forced to use reserve funds to deal with snow and cold
    Feb 25 2026

    A relentless spate of snowstorms and freezing cold has stretched Long Island town snow budgets, forcing some to dip into their reserves. Earlier in February, the Town of Brookhaven was $2 million over budget. The figure is expected to double after the blizzard from Sunday through Monday. Some villages say they have exceeded their snow removal budgets, too — in large part due to labor costs. Officials said their annual snow budgets are based on seasonal trends over a period of several years. They were not financially prepared, they noted, for a record-setting storm that dumped about 29.1 inches of snow at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma and 28.1 inches in Montauk.

    Alek Lewis and Carl MacGowan report in NEWSDAY that some town and village officials said they expect to draw down more of their reserves and seek state disaster aid.

    East Hampton village trustees recently approved a $60,000 boost to the snow budget, which will be used to hire contractors to help employees remove snow, Village Administrator Marcos Baladrón said. They truck snow from the village’s business district and major roads to Two Mile Hollow Beach, where it’s left to melt, he said.

    Riverhead Highway Superintendent Mike Zaleski said his salt supply is now “comfortable.” He recently ordered another 300 tons after a $100,000 budget transfer from reserves.

    “Safety to me is paramount,” Zaleski said yesterday. “Whether the money is there or not, the job’s got to get done. We’ll find a way to pay.”

    ***

    Most east end schools have announced a two hour delayed opening today, several are still closed with classes moved to remote learning. Schools and government office were closed Monday and Tuesday after the Blizzard of '26. Here are some snow accumulation totals posted across our eastern Suffolk listening area following the Sunday / Monday storm. You may consider them unofficial but close enough.

    1. Central Islip: 31 inches
    2. Montauk: 28.1 inches
    3. Remsenburg-Speonk: 27.5 inches
    4. Orient: 26.5 inches
    5. Quogue: 26 inches
    6. Shinnecock Hills: 25 inches
    7. Southampton: 24 inches
    8. Mattituck: 23.3 inches
    9. Flanders: 23 inches
    10. Riverhead: 22.5 inches
    11. Shelter Island: 21.1 inches
    12. Upton: (NWS Office and B.N.L.) 19.8 inches
    13. East Hampton: 18.8
    14. Jamesport: 18.3 inches
    15. Hampton Bays: 17.3

    ***

    The African American Educational Cultural Festival will hold a forum on “America and the Black Vote” this evening at 5 p.m. in the Riverhead Free Library.

    Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the non-partisan event “brings together civic leaders, attorneys, and advocates to discuss Black political participation and its impact on American democracy,” according to the organizers.

    This evening’s event is free.

    “The forum...
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    9 mins